Mechanical toy



(No Model.)

J. W. HALE.

MECHANICAL TOY.

WITNESSES; \NVENTEI lhngnphur, Wamingmn. DV 1:,-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES WHITE HALE, OF NEWBURYPORT, MASSACHUSETTS.

MECHANICAL TOY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 381,922, dated May 1',1888.

Application filed December 1, 1887. Serial No. 256,633. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES WHITE HALE, of Newburyport, in the county ofEssex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Mechanical Toys, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to that class of mechanical toys in which themotions of life are imitated by means partially automatic and partiallyby movements communicated by the user, the object being to' make amechanical toy that by proper manipulation will imitate creatures themovements of which are like those of the inch or loop worm. This objectI attain by the mechanism shown in the ac companying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention as it appears on thetable or floor, and Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

A in the drawings represents the floor or table upon which I place mytoy when I wish to exhibit it. B and O are two blocks which serve asfoot-pieces-O the front one and B the rear one. Each of thesefoot-pieces is .provided with spurs like those shown at KKand H H. Thefoot-pieces C and B may be made of any material and of any design andprovided with any desirable means for securing contact with the surfaceupon which the thing is placed. A cloth or carpet surface is to bepreferred.

The two foot-pieces B and G are united by a spring-plate, D, as shown inFig. 2, and also by a running looped string or cord, N N N. The springmay be concealed by any fancy covering-as E, for instance-0r thecovering may be shaped to represent a living or fanciful creature-aworm, snake, or dragon,for instance.

The looped string or cord N N N has one end tied to the eyebolt M, Fig.2, in the footpiece 13; thence the cord passes to and through theeyebolt L in the foot-piece G; thence back and through the eyebolt M andunder thefootpiece B, as shown at N; thence to a stop-piece, S, and fromthere to the hand of the user.

To operate my toy I proceed as follows: The stop-piece S in the cord Nis so adjusted that it will not admit of the spring D becoming straight,but will always maintain it slightly curved-that is, the stop is soadjusted that as the springD straightens, the cord N N will be drawnthrough the eyebolt M until the stop S reaches said eyebolt, and thusprevent any further extension of the spring. In this condition the toymay be placed upon the carpet and the spurs K K of the footpiece Oinserted into the carpet. Now, by pulling the cord rearward, the rearfoot-piece, B, is drawn forward by slackening the cord, the spurs H H ofthe foot-piece B will enter the carpet, being forced in by the reactionof the spring D, and the forward foot-piece, G, will advance withatendency to rise upward, imitating the mo tion of a worm. Now, if thecord is again pulled rearward, the forward foot piece, 0, comes down andengages with the carpet, and the rear piece, B, is drawn forward. Thesemotions may be repeated indefinitely, and with a little practice the toymay be made to contort itself in a great variety of ways.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

In a mechanical toy, the combination of the spring D and foot-pieces Oand B, having engaging spurs, with the cord N, said cord being securedat one end to the rear foot-piece, B, thence passing freely through aloop or eyebolt secured to the forward foot-piece, G, and thence backunder the foot-piece B, substantially as described, and for the purposeset forth.

JAMES WHITE HALE.

Witnesses:

FRANK G. PARKER, J. M. HARTNETT.

